Anolis cybotes, the Largehead anole Coral Springs area in Broward county, Florida 21 January 2017, Nikon D7100
So many Anolis cybotes, so little time! Actually, time was on our side. Once we’d tracked down a rather lovely area brimming with both the Largehead anole (Anolis cybotes) and the Hispaniolan green anole (Anolis chlorocyanus), we had ample time to find numerous individuals. We hit the right place at the right time. Both of the species, A. cybotes and A. chlorcyanus, aren’t quite as widespread throughout south Florida as our other non-native species. This was, after all, the first time I’d seen either species in Florida.
Interestingly, both of these species originally hail from the same general area: Hispaniola, the island comprised of both the Dominican Republic and Haiti, so they aren’t exactly strangers to one another in an ecological sense. Whereas A. cybotes tends to stick to the lower areas (a “trunk-ground” ecomorph), A. chlorocyanus is more adapted to more elevated habitats (a “trunk-crown” ecomorph). Here in central Florida, a similar (but slightly different) cohabitation exists between our Cuban brown anoles (A. sagrei, a trunk-ground ecomorph) and Carolina green anoles (A. carolinensis, a trunk-crown ecomorph). This seems to happen quite a bit in the world of Anolis lizards. With nearly 400 recognized species in the Western hemisphere, it’s not surprising that specific species of anoles have adapted to live in specific environments — often above or below one another (and sometimes in direct competition to each other).
Trunk-crown ecomorphs (such as our native A. carolinensis and non-native S. chlorocyanus) are adapted more for life in the limbs and well off the ground. With larger toe pads, these lizards are adapted well to climbing not only tree trunks, but also the limbs of trees. On the other hand, trunk-ground ecomorphs (such as A. sagrei and A. cybotes featured on this post) are more adapted to life on the ground and in lower foliage. They’re a bit less slender and sleek than the trunk-crown ecomorphs and are better adapted to jumping and dashing. They also tend to be browner than their trunk-crown brethren (the latter often being greenish in base tone).
All of this is to say that watching this south Florida population of A. chlorocyanus and A. cybotes was like watching an alternate reality version of central Florida’s A. carolinensis and A. sagrei. Granted, we did see both A. carolinensis and A. sagrei in the same area, but they were far less abundant than their Hispaniolan relatives. I can only imagine the fray of competition when A. chlorocyanus and A. cybotes initially found their way to this particular spot within Broward county. What a fray of competition that must have been! Trunk-crowns and trunk-grounds competing not only with themselves and with each other!
We’ve got loads more anole action (and other stuff) coming up!
Anolis cybotes, the Largehead anole; Broward county, Florida (21 January 2017, Nikon D7100).
Anolis cybotes, the Largehead anole; Broward county, Florida (21 January 2017, Nikon D7100).
To learn more about All-Things-Anolis, you should check out anoleannals.org. If you just want pictures and such, you can also filter and check out all currently-published phosTracks anole posts!
The Largehead Anole (Anolis cybotes), 21 January 2017 Anolis cybotes, the Largehead anole Coral Springs area in Broward county, Florida 21 January 2017, Nikon D7100…